Land acquisition bill amended for farmers: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said his government “corrected” the land acquisition act for the sake of farmers, and if there is anything anti-farmer in the law they are ready to change it.

Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to a joint session of parliament, Modi attacked Congress saying they should not be so “arrogant” to believe their act was the best.

“This is a small solution to correct the mistakes. We don’t reject your attempt, we are just adding something,” Modi said.

“If there is anything anti-farmer there, we are ready to change it. Take political mileage out of it I have no problem. I will still give the credit to those who made the law publicly,” he said hinting at the Congress-led UPA which passed the The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill in 2013.

He, however, said that the Congress, which led the government that passed the bill, must not be “arrogant” and their act was not perfect.

“We must not be so arrogant that we believe no one can be better than us. When the land bill was brought we were with you. We knew you were hurrying with the bill to get political mileage out of it. But I want to ask, it took you time till 2013 to find the flaws in a 1894 law? For (over) 60 years farmers were living on a law that was made in 1894,” Modi said.

The prime minister said chief ministers from all states were against the act.

“After the law was made, and when our government came, chief ministers from all states and all parties in one voice said we must think about farmers,” Modi said.

“This country that talks about federal cooperation, are we so arrogant we will not listen to states? Should we not back their feelings?” he asked.